Timer for internal-combustion engines



y E. E. FOURNIER TIMER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Dec. 29

- Filed April l FII Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATE.

stima PATEN' QE'FICE.

EDMON'D EDWARD FGRNIER, GF FALL RIVER, rIASS-.CE'SETTS, ASSIG-NOR 0F .'EORTY-FOUR ONE-I'IUNREDTHS FWG MEETON I. VESTAL. GF FALL RIVER, IVIASSA- CHUSETTS, AND FIFTY-SIX ONE-Z WDREDIHS TG SAID EDMGND E. FOURNIER.

TIMER FR IIlfERNAL-CGIBUSTIGN ENGINES.

Application field pril l To all azi/1,0m t may conce/rn.:

Be it known that I, Ennemi Fornarina, a citizen of the United States, residing at lFall River, county of Iristol. ^lommonwealth of lvlassachusetts, have invented ccrtain new and useful Improvemen s iu 'liniers for Internail-Combustion Engines, or' which the following is a specitication.

This invention relates to timers ternal combustion engines and consists in the novel construction, combination and relation of parts described and illustrated in the accompanying specification and drawings and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the usual timer equipment the contacts are located about the periphery of the timer shell and the lead wires to the spark plugs vdiverge from the contacts to the several cylinders of the engine. rThis construction is standard 'equipment for the Ford motor and is open to objection because of the length of the arc through which the contacts and lead wires must turn when the timer shell is rotated to advance or retard the spark. Such rotation produces an element of twist iu the lead wires which tends to break down theirl insulating` covers and cause short circuiting and consequent mishring of the cylinders and eventually expensive charges for wire replacements. Moreover, the oil from the engine collects on the exposed lead wires causing their insulating covers to rot and sho-rt circuit.

In such constructions the circuit is made and broken by a rotor in the form of a roller which is driven at engine speed over the contact points which are usually metallic segments set in the periphery of the timer shell. The roller soon wears at the point of con: tact, causing improper timing ofthe lire and a loss of power in the engine. Because of the extended arc through which the contacts turn when the timer shell is rotated to advance or retard the spark, the response of the apparatus is proportionately slowed down, especially where as often happens, the contacts become insulated with oil which may leak into the timer from the engine.

To the end therefore of providing a timer which will overcome these objections I have devised my present invention. In it I locate the contacts at substantially the base Or closed end of the timer shell so as to reduce tor in ieee.

to the minimum the arc through which they must turn upon rotation of the shell to advance or retard the spark, and in place of the usual make aud break roller, I provide a rotor iu the form of a spring` backed brush of carbon or the like which travels p it the contacts in a circle of re'uuced circun'lereuce wheicby to more quickly make l break the circuit and with less tendency to wear. The lead wires from the contacts io the spark plug are brought into the timer substantially axially thereof so as to reduce to a mininuuu the arc through which the wires must twist when the timer shell is rotated to advance or retard the spark, and arel enclosed in a loom which protects them from dripping oil.

lly this construction I reduce to a minimum the danger of misiiring through improper contact or short circuiting, and insure a constant and regular synchronized ignition at any and all speeds of the engine. The construction and operation of my timer is described and illustrated in the accompanying specification and drawings, throughout which like reference characters are correspondingly applied, and in the drawings:

ig I is a longitudinal section through a timer in accordance with my invention.

Fig. II is an end elevation thereof, the oil shield 16 being omitted, and

F III is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing the relative arcs through which the contacts and lead wires must turn uponl rotation of the timer shell to advance or retard the spark.

I have indicated at l the timer 'shell or casing and at 2 the timer shaft which rotates at one half engine speed within the casing.

Fast on the shafty 2 within the casing is a rotor sleeve 3 which is socketed as shown to .receive a make and break element, which as sulating material as fibre and which is set in the closed end of the shell.

The lead Wires from the contacts 6 to coil units and thence the spark plugs of the engine cylinders are indicated at 8. These Wires are encased in a loom 9 which enters a Wire cover 10 abutting theI closed end of the timer shell 1, and has a laterally disposed outlet opening 11 substantially axially of the timer shell whereby to reduce to the minimum the arc through which the wir-es must tivist upon partial rotation of the timer shell by its arm 12 to advance or retard the spark.

The Wire cover 1() is held relatively stationary during such rotation of the casing 1, being provided for this purpose with a holding arm 13, which may be conveniently provided with a. squared opening` to lit over a correspondingly formed boss ll fastened exteriorly of the Wire cover as by a split rivet 15. The rivet 15 is disposed in substantially the longitudinal axis of the timer and is set through the loom 9 with its head disposed interiorly thereof.

1f desired, the open end of the casing l may be covered by a sealing washer or disc 16 which is adapted to prevent oil from entering the casing. The lead Wires 17 to the running lights of the car may also be led through the loom 9.

Preferably, the carbon element 4 is square in form to secure accuracy of Contact. 1t will be noted that both the carbon 4 and contacts 6 are disposed parallel to the axis of rotation, and that the carbon t has axial contact rather than peripheral contact as in the case of a roller, With the elements 6.

As Will be evident from an inspection of the diagram Fig. IH, when the timer shell 1 is rotated to advance or retard the spark, the periphery of the shell travels through a relatively considerable arc A While the contacts 6 being closer to the axis of rotation travel through a. much smaller arc B ,and the Wires which have their outlet (indicated at C in this figure) at substantially the axis of rotation have practically no travel. In the usual timer equipment, the arc of major trave-l, i. e. the arc A described by the periphery of the timer, is also substantially the arc of travel of the contacts and Wires,

producing a twist in the Wires which soon caused them to Wear and a loss in etliciency of response of the device. The diagram, F ig. III, also graphically indicates the reduction in the circumference of the circle through Which the rotor t must travel to make the contacts 6 which my device etl'ects.

Various modifications in the construction and operation of my device may obviously be resorted to if Within the limits of the appended claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A. timer comprising a relatively rotatable casing and a relatively stationary Wire cover mounted in contiguous relation to each other, a rotor and contacts mounted in said casing, a lug on said wire cover, a leoni entering said ivire cover, lead Wires to said contacts extending through said loom axially into the casing, a fastening set through said lug of the Wire cover and securing said loom thereto, and an arm engaging said lug and holding said wire cover against movement upon rotation of the casing.

2. A timer comprising a relatively rotatable casing and a relatively stationary wire cover mounted in contiguous relation to ea'ch other, a rotor and contacts mounted in said casing, a loom entering said Wire rover and having a wire outlet opening, and a fastening set through said loom and Wire cover and fixing said loom Within said cover with its outlet opening disposed in substantially the longitudinal axis of the casing.

A timer comprising a relatively rotatable casing and a relatively stationary Wire cover mounted in contiguous relation to each other, a rotor and contacts within said casing, a loom extending into said Wire cover and having an outlet opening disposed in substantially the longitudinal axis of the casing, lead Wires to-said contacts extending along said loom and through said outlet opening axially into the casing, and a fastening set through said loom and Wire cover and securing said loom to said wire cover.

In testimony whereof 1 aiiix my signature.

EDMOND ED'WARD FOURNIER. 

